The Jewel of Lethe
by MysticAngelDust
Summary: They knew it would happen, but ignored the consequences. Now Kagome must live her life after the jewel. A drabble series that follows Kagome's new life after the fairy tale ends.
1. Everything Ends Eventually

Note: This is a drabble series I've started to help myself get through some writer's block. Snowstorms has not been abandoned. The chapters will be extremely short, and will be updated once a week after the first few chapters are put up.

Thanks to my wonderful Beta Lady Kirara for looking this over!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

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Five years after Kagome had fallen down the well and shattered the jewel the journey was now complete. Naraku had been destroyed with fewer casualties than anyone had expected, and the world was saved from his evil for good. 'Sounds so cliché' Kagome thought to herself, "And they all lived happily ever after," she whispered under her breath as she rolled the now completed jewel between her fingers. The reality of the situation was that while Naraku had been destroyed and the jewel completed, her own life was about to shatter once again. A wish had to be made, and with it, her time in the Feudal Era would end. She would make yet another sacrifice for the good of others. She would never see her friends again. She would never see-

"Onna," a low baritone voice came from the door of the small hut she'd all but locked herself in for the past few hours.

"Sesshoumaru," she breathed almost sadly as his form obstructed the light from the doorway. Yes, she would miss him the most. The youkai, whom she'd fallen in love with and mated almost two years prior. Neither could say exactly when it had begun; perhaps it was during the time her group stayed at the Western Shiro while Kagome did her best to save Rin from an illness. Or perhaps it had been during the brief encounters her group would have with his before that incident, due to Rin's requests to see the 'pretty lady' as she liked to call Kagome. Regardless of when it had begun, it had happened and she was happy it had.

He'd moved into the room now and was holding his arm out to her, "Come Kagome, we return to the Shiro today." His face was impassive as it always was, but she could see it in his eyes. He was afraid she would reject him; that she would wish on the jewel. It had been their conversation from the night before that was the cause for her brooding this morning. Her mate had proposed that they leave the jewel as it was and protect it as other Mikos had done for many years since its creation. It warmed her heart that he didn't want to lose her just as much as she feared losing him, but this was her duty. He'd known of it when they'd mated.

She smiled sadly. No, she wouldn't be returning to the Shiro and she knew that the longer she took to make her wish the greater the chance that he would find some way to keep her from doing it.

Before she could lose her courage the young woman from the future lunged towards her mate, and pressing her lips to his firmly before shoving herself backwards. She clutched the jewel tightly and made her wish.

Tears fell from her eyes freely as she witnessed the look of pure hurt and anger pass over her mate's face before she faded completely from the past.

_I wish for everyone who was hurt by Naraku and the jewel to live long and happy lives. _


	2. Mornings

Love my beta Lady Kirara!

Disclaimer: Once again. I own nothing related to Inuyasha.

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Kagome woke to the shrill sound of her alarm clock. She really hated those things and cursed every morning the person who had set out to create the most annoying device in existence. She groaned audibly as she pulled herself from bed. She hadn't slept well again as she'd spent all night reliving her last day in the past. It was the same nightmare she had been having nearly every night since she found herself at the bottom of the old dry well on her side of time.

That had been six years ago.

Kagome shook her thoughts of the past aside as she quickly readied herself for the day. She had to be ready and making breakfast before-

"Mooom!" a small voice came from downstairs, "You overslept again didn't you!"

'Well I was _trying_ to be up before him this morning,' Kagome thought as she spit toothpaste into the sink and rinsed her mouth. It never failed Touga _always_ woke up before she did, and he did it without the aid of an alarm clock. 'Damn youkai and their not needing sleep.' Finally ready, she made her way downstairs and into the kitchen where her son waited to be fed. "Hey squirt," she greeted as she ruffled his silver hair on her way to the fridge. She hid a grin behind the refrigerator door as she heard her son scoff and do his best to fix his now less than perfect hair. Over the years she'd learned that he held more of his father's personality than her own, and she never failed to take advantage of any opportunity to 'loosen him up' as she told him from time to time.

"Will you be able to pick me up from school today, or will grandma be there?" her son asked as she placed a bowl of cereal in front of him. It was a question he asked every morning in the hope that she would finally say that she would be the one to pick him up, and that she would not be coming home from work right as he was being tucked in for the night.

Kagome sighed. Just like she dreaded her nightmares every night, she dreaded this question every morning, "Your grandma will be picking you up today, you know how much she loves to spend time with you," she answered as cheerfully as she could, her hand straying up to the mark on her shoulder for support. She hated how much she had to work, but it was necessary to provide for the two of them.

"Yes mother," Touga said dejectedly as he stared into his cereal. One day he would be old enough to work too. Then he could care for his mother and finally see a real smile on her face.


	3. Reality Check

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha.

Love my beta!

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"Oi Kagome!" her boss's voice came from across the room.

"Yes Ryo-san?" she asked politely. Having barely passed high school, Kagome decided to immediately enter the workforce in order to care for herself and her son instead of attempting to attend any sort of higher education. This of course left her with few options in the way of employment, and she soon found herself here at a temp agency of sorts. Each day you came into the office you would be given a different job that some local employer needed temporary help with. Each position paid differently, and the type of work varied widely. She'd done everything from wash windows to loading shipping trucks.

"I have a new job for you, and if you do well the employer is willing to employ you on a permanent basis," Ryo said as he placed a file on Kagome's desk, his hand slightly brushing her arm as he passed causing Kagome to glare at him warningly. She was uncomfortable with how much her boss reminded her of the monk Miroku, leaving her to wonder if perhaps he was a descendant or reincarnation of her friend from time to time.

Looking at the file Kagome frowned as it was not exactly her dream job, but it paid well and could be permanent. Steady pay was something everyone employed at the agency dreamed of, and regardless of how degrading it was she wasn't about to pass that up, "A maid for a prominent family in the city," she said as she read over the details.

"Yeah, prominent isn't even the word for it." Ryo said with a wave of his hand, "Go on and turn to the next page, there are photos of your employer and of the home."

Doing as she was told the young woman turned the page. The picture of the man staring back at her was _not_ what she had expected at all. "Sesshoumaru?" she whispered as she continued to stare at the photo as if it had just slapped her. It was obvious he had made alterations to his looks in order to appear more human, but there was no mistaking who the man in the photo was.

"_Breathe_ Kagome," Ryo ordered as he placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. He knew that she'd be shocked by the knowledge that her new employer was _the_ most powerful man in Japan, but he didn't think she'd look like someone just shot her new puppy. "Sesshoumaru-_sama_, Kagome. Please don't end up like the last three girls I sent on this job," he groaned.

Letting out the breath she wasn't aware she had been holding until Ryo had said something Kagome turned to her boss, "I know Ryo-san, what _did_ happen to the other girls?" she asked.

Ryo shook his head, "His girlfriend, Kagura-sama, tore into them for every little thing and sent them back crying." He said seemingly lost in thought for a moment before continuing, "And all before noon today."

For the second time that day Kagome felt as if someone had physically assaulted her 'Girlfriend? Kagura?' she thought sadly. She knew that when she made her wish it would include her mate as well, aware of the possibility that he would move on and live a long and happy life without her but the reality of it was crushing. The thought crossed her mind to reject the job since she really didn't want to be 'that ex' that suddenly appeared to tear your life apart after years apart. Not to mention the fact that seeing him with _her_ would rip her heart out worse than seeing Inuyasha with Kikyo had ever done. But she really needed the money, Sesshoumaru and Kagura be damned.

"Let me get my things, and I'll head that way!" she chirped as she gathered her belongings.


End file.
